Dark, iron rich sand and a secluded feel reached only on foot.
Turtle nestingProtected area
Las Baulas National Marine Park
Playa Carbon is a small, secluded black sand beach just north of Playa Ventanas, reached only by walking further along the coast from Playa Grande. Its dark, mineral rich sand is noticeably heavier underfoot than the tan sand of neighboring beaches, and calmer pockets of water allow for snorkeling and swimming when conditions are right. It sees far fewer visitors than Grande or Ventanas because of the extra walk required to get there.
SwimmingCalm, good for swimming
SurfNot a surf beach
Good for
Snorkeling
Swimming
Tide pools
Getting there
Only reachable on foot, continuing north along the beach past Playa Ventanas from the Playa Grande parking area; there is no direct road access or parking at the beach itself.
Sea turtles
Species: Leatherback
Nesting season: October 20 to February 15, peak December-January
Nesting is sparser here than at Playa Grande; the beach is part of the park's original legal boundary alongside Ventanas, Grande, and Langosta.
Official park-run sea turtle nesting tour on Playa Grande inside Las Baulas de Guanacaste National Marine Park, the main eastern Pacific leatherback nesting site. Reservations are made by phone with the park office and the tour is led by the Matapalo local guides association (ASOCAVE); groups wait at the ranger station and walk to the beach only once a nesting turtle is reported. The tour centers on whatever turtle activity is present during nesting season, roughly late October to mid-February.